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College students talk about creating 'Boston Strong' movement

You've seen the blue and gold shirts, maybe bought something for yourself that reads "Boston Strong."

But did you know the movement started in an Emerson College dorm room with two students wondering what they could do to help after the bombings?

"I come from a background where T-shirts are kind of a cool thing to do, So I looked at Nick and said, 'Why don't we do a T-shirt?' He started designing it.. I set up a Facebook page. and started inviting all my friends," said student Chris Dobens.

Dobens said friends invited friends and suddenly people everywhere wanted to support the cause. They bought T-shirts and posted pictures of themselves proudly wearing them.

"It was absolutely amazing to see it take off. We were hoping to sell 110 T-shirts -- that was our original goal," said student Nick Reynolds.

They sold more than 59,000 in the first eight weeks.

On Monday afternoon, Dobens and Reynolds presented Boston Mayor Tom Menino with a check for nearly $900,000 for the One Fund.

Supporters gathered at Copley Square Monday afternoon.

"Watching something like this Boston Strong movement be born out of Emerson is just a great experience," said Emerson alum Jeff Mitchell.

"It's one of the greatest things to support the victims," said Chris Battoo, who ran the marathon and wanted to help celebrate the success of the Boston Strong movement.

"We're just happy the city of Boston took a hold of it. And I mean that's who it's for. It's for the city itself," Reynolds said.

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